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U.S. Engagement in the Pacific: Strengthening Historic Ties

In what has become a tradition, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will host her third annual roundtable with 14 leaders of the Pacific Island nations on the margins of the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23. The United States, also a Pacific nation, values our longstanding and close friendships with the countries and peoples of the Pacific. Our multifaceted engagement with our Pacific partners runs the gamut from sustainable development, economic growth and regional security, to good governance, climate change, and fisheries.

Complex and challenging problems, like slow economic growth, climate change, trafficking in persons, and illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing, threaten the region's prosperity and security. We are committed to being good partners in addressing these problems. The people of the Pacific Islands and the United States share a commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms. This commitment is evident in our voting together on many important issues at the United Nations and in other international forums. We are grateful for the contributions of many Pacific countries to global security whether their citizens serve in the Armed Forces of the United States or on United Nations or Coalition peacekeeping missions.

Climate change is an existential threat and an urgent environmental, economic, development, and security issue in the Pacific. The United States remains committed to helping the Pacific Islands adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. The new U.S. Agency for International Development Pacific Regional Office in Papua New Guinea will be one focal point for our efforts, and we are administering a $21 million program to support climate change adaptation, clean energy, and sustainable land management in the Pacific. Deputy Secretary Nides was pleased to highlight our partnerships with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the Pacific Regional Environmental Program at a signing ceremony on the margins of the Pacific Island Forum earlier this month. These partnerships will serve to strengthen food and water security and protect critical eco-systems.

We recognize the importance of fisheries in the Pacific as a matter of environmental preservation and economic development. We have entered into maritime law enforcement agreements with eight Pacific countries to help protect Pacific Fisheries. Over the past 23 years, the South Pacific Tuna Treaty between the United States and the Pacific Island states has been the means for our government and the U.S. fishing industry to contribute to these efforts in tangible and meaningful ways. Successful negotiations to extend the treaty will strengthen this cooperation and enhance our contribution to these efforts.

The Pacific region is undergoing many positive, transformative changes, from economic growth to successful democratic reforms to robust international engagement. The United States seeks opportunities to work with the governments and peoples of the Pacific to foster stable, democratic, and prosperous countries across the region.

Comments

Comments

palgye

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South Korea

September 25, 2011

Palgye in South Korea writes:

I keep to talk about "Carbon Tax", I talked to my belated support for Greece was disappointing, "12 +1 country" theory of what does not work real policy, not regret, do not want to compete with anyone. Because of the many warnings to Greece, because all the boundaries, the old and the low likelihood of such a situation I think.

From now on, we have to develop new export markets, we suffer from economic difficulties, and consumption of the poor, think of exports to overcome the bottleneck. Are you working to promote the European crisis, Double Dip, Double Dip America's economic crisis, I do not think it is causing. However, I think that is Double Deep. Consumption in Europe and the United States economically because of fear the subject to expect explosive consumption is considered a difficult situation. Now, expectations for Asia and the Middle East, do not have to hide?

I want to go to China. If I'm going to live in the area, to live in China.

Zharkov

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United States

September 26, 2011

Zharkov in the U.S.A. writes:

The "Carbon Tax" scam is only a tiny beginning of world slavery. Next you might see a water tax, a calorie tax, or even a birth tax for pregnant mothers.

I would propose a baldness tax for hairless politicians, a wrinkle tax on old Congressmen, and a royals tax for allowing them into a country, but politicians would never vote to impoverish themselves or their benefactors.

You see, there is no end to how the political class can shear the sheeple. We are animals in their eyes, and they harvest our labor as often as they can. Periodically rendering many families homeless from taxation and regulation, their thirst for wealth and power has no limits, not even constitutional ones.

You can see this even today -- the worst depression since the last depression -- new taxes are proposed to destroy what little remains of American jobs and prosperity.

And now they want to take away Pacific Islander's natural right to go fishing and "regulate" it? Pacific Islanders will become the American Indians of the 21st century, living on reservations and begging for licenses to fish or hunt.